unfinished glory

Chapter 76 Trimming
After winning the series against the Grizzlies, the Spurs returned to San Antonio to wait for the Mavericks-Rockets winner.

Since the Rockets and Mavericks scored 2:2 in the first four games, the Spurs have at least six days of rest so that they can adjust and respond calmly.

In the playoffs, as long as they are not eliminated, there is no such thing as a holiday.The next afternoon, the players gathered in the Spurs' locker room to watch video clips from the first four games between the Rockets and the Mavericks.

Seeing the first two games between the Rockets and the Mavericks, the players looked a little serious. The Rockets showed a very high level, and both offense and defense seemed very strong.

The score between the Spurs and the Rockets in the regular season was 2:2, and the record and game situation were similar when they played against the Grizzlies.But unlike the Grizzlies, the Rockets have two All-Stars.When Yao Ming faced the Spurs, his offensive efficiency was always very high, while Tracy McGrady scored high points in three games and completed an unprecedented performance.

When watching the third and fourth games, Li Chongxiao's expression was serious at first, and then he kept laughing: the referee's performance was even more impressive than that of the Mavericks' main player Dirk Nowitzki.

If it was aimed at the entire Rockets team, Li Chongxiao couldn't say anything, but the referee was obviously targeting Yao Ming.He looked at the technical statistics. In the third game, Yao Ming only played 34 minutes, with 5 fouls, and the Mavericks won by 4 points; in the fourth game, Yao Ming played 25 minutes, made 5 fouls, and the Mavericks won by 4 points.

Li Chongxiao asked Popovich with a smile: "Coach, do you take the initiative to reduce my playing time, or wait for the referee to reduce my playing time?"

Popovich looked a little serious, and said: "Don't worry, kid, we are the Spurs, and this kind of thing will not happen to us."

Although he comforted Li Chongxiao in this way, in fact, Popovich didn't have a clue in his heart. He was also very clear about what happened in the previous All-Star Game. The discrimination against Chinese Americans in this league and this country has never been less.

The videographer released these shots of Yao Ming being misjudged by the referee to remind Popovich to pay attention to this factor. Their team, like the Rockets, has a Chinese player.

But it is impossible for Popovich to give up on Li Chongxiao, not to mention that Li Chongxiao has an important position in his tactical system and is an important piece for the Spurs to hit the championship this year. Even if he is a bench player, as Popovich said, This is the Spurs and cannot be bullied by the league.

Later, the league decided to punish Rockets coach Van Gundy Jr. by $10 for his remarks at the end of the fourth game. Stern even threatened Van Gundy Jr., saying that after the series ended, he would not give the league an explanation. May be banned for life.

On the night of May 5, the duel between the Rockets and the Mavericks returned to the home court of the Mavericks. At the last critical moment, in front of the referee, Michael Finley stepped on both feet out of bounds and completed a steal on Joan Barry , and then saved the ball to the Mavericks.Relying on this ball, the Mavericks won the game again. After losing two games at home, they pulled three games in a row.

When Popovich was interviewed by the media the next day, when talking about Van Gundy Jr.'s fine, he said: "We all know that this is just a normal complaint made by a normal coach, and such a heavy punishment should not be given. If there are some turmoil in the game, I believe that every coach will complain, including me. Sometimes the league needs to improve its attitude, and it should not make a big deal out of certain things."

Not long after those remarks were reported, Popovich got a call from the league, and the two chatted about something.

In the next training session, the Spurs listed the Mavericks as the number one imaginary enemy for the next round, and began to study the plan to deal with the Mavericks lineup.

The Mavericks' top star, Dirk Nowitzki, didn't fare as well against the Rockets.At the beginning of the game, Van Gundy unexpectedly used McGrady to defend Nowitzki and achieved good results.

The Spurs also practiced this defensive strategy in training, allowing Li Chongxiao and Bowen to play the role of Tracy McGrady to try out the effect.But unlike the Rockets' lack of players on the defensive end, the Spurs are much more generous.

Since the Mavericks once claimed that Eric Dampier, the "second center in the West" who was only under O'Neal, was in a hurry, the Spurs were much more calm in dealing with Nowitzki, except for non-mainstream players like Li Chongxiao and Bowen. Law, but also with Muhammad and Duncan to deal with.

But in addition to Nowitzki, the Mavericks still have several good offensive players, Finley, Jason Terry, Josh Howard and Jerry Stackhouse on the bench, all scoring more than 13 points, The firepower is very powerful.

In this way, the Spurs face more than one problem, not only to limit the offense of the Mavericks' main players, but also to choose to defend Stackhouse's offense or keep up with the opponent's offense when the substitute lineup is on the field. Rhythm.

This is where Popovich's headache lies. If he defends, Li Chongxiao is the substitute. Then when defending the Mavericks' main lineup, Finley and Josh Howard are weaker.If the offense is suppressed, then Ginobili will bring a substitute, and the pressure on Stackhouse will not be so great.

But the Spurs are happy troubles, and they can offer two or even more ways to deal with it. Unlike the Rockets, who only have McGrady with Joan Barry and Mike James, both of whom are average in offense and defense, there is only one option.

Li Chongxiao didn't covet the starting position just because he had started in the first round. As long as he could play, he didn't care.Ginobili didn't care that much either, and publicly stated that as long as the team wins, it doesn't matter whether it is a starting substitute or not.

This is the confidence that Popovich can design multiple sets of tactics. No one in the main rotation lineup is fighting for power and dissatisfaction.This is also the charm of Spurs basketball. The players are a whole, united as one, and everyone is contributing.

It's more of a Spurs culture where everyone is sacrificing themselves to help the team go further.

……

While the Spurs were training and waiting, the Rockets won at home, beating the Mavericks 101:83.

McGrady scored 37+7+8 crazily and led the team to victory, while Yao Ming performed sluggishly, scoring only 8 points and only making 6 of 2 free throws.Mike James scored 22 points, and Joan Barry also scored 14 points. For a while, the saying that Yao Ming was holding back was rampant.

Li Chongxiao called to comfort him, but Yao Ming didn't seem to care, he could hear that winning made him feel good, and he even met Li Chongxiao on the phone in the Western Conference semifinals.

With a big score of 3:3, the Rockets went to the home court of the Dallas Mavericks, but suffered a big defeat.

Losing by a record-breaking 40 points, the Rockets suffered a crisp defeat.Yao Ming worked hard and scored 33 points, 10 rebounds and 5 blocks. McGrady also scored 27 points. The two scored 60 points together, but the other teammates only scored 16 points.

At the last moment of the game, Tracy McGrady was replaced and wept silently under a towel. Yao Ming played on the court until the end of the game, tasting the bitter fruit of failure alone.

(End of this chapter)